Charlotte Bellamy Photography - ICM Challenge 7 - Architecture

The ‘architecture’ challenge is complete. I knew there would be some beautiful and unique work submitted by everyone, but I was delighted with the creativity and such a wide range of styles submitted. It was also lovely to see the interpretations of architecture from around the world. We had Singapore, Edinburg, Glasgow, Portsmouth, London, Chester, Greenwich, Windsor, Sweden, Cape Town, Lake Garda in Italy, Miami, Calgary, Budapest, Brussels, Oslo…and I’m sure I have missed a few out what an amazing offering for our judge and not an easy task.

The judge for this challenge was Bill Ward. Bill creates the most beautiful ICM work, but not only this, he shares his knowledge willingly with o thers to help them learn. He is now a regular contributor to the ICM Photo magazine with super articles that help build understanding and in turns skills in the world of ICM. Bill is also a fellow Light and Land leader. He is also a rather famous actor (but ashamed to say I had never heard of him in this capacity as I have never watched one episode of Coronation Street!),

Bill has a beautiful website https://billwardphotography.co.uk/ He does offer 1:1 workshops around Bristol but if you are interested in group workshops and tours his tutor page on Light and Land is here https://www.lightandland.co.uk/photography tour tutors/view/bill ward

Bill is also on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/billwardphotography/ Do go and show him support on these various platforms as a thankyou for his judging time.

All the judges have offered their time at no cost to this challenge and for that I am deeply grateful.

I created this ICM challenge, to offer a friendly competition within the creative group I run for all previous course attendees and mentee students. It is to encourage interaction in the group and to offer a reason to share or make photos in reaction to a prompt. From mid July to early December, a new challenge subject will be set in the group. It may be interpreted however an individual wishes, but the ICM technique must be the overriding element in the image. I have chosen an outside judge for each challenge to offer a wide variety of feedback and varying outlooks on ICM photography.

This is a cumulative competition:

• Points 1 10 are awarded for the top 10 placings each challenge. (1st place gaining 10 and 10th place 1)

• A point is awarded to every entrant to say thank you for submitting.

• A bonus 5 points are awarded to each of Charlie’s top 5 each challenge. In December there will be an online awards evening, with some small prizes, and to celebrate everyone’s achievements.

If you are interested in online or in person courses, please check out my website for more info www.charlottebellamy.com I also have a You tube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CharlotteBellamycreativephotography/videos

Please email with any questions or comments Charlotte@charlottebellamy.com

Copyright remains with each of the photographers, please do not save in anyway the images from this document.

Without further ado I would like to introduce you to your winners. Congratulations to the top 10.

Winner Colin Smith

Spiral Staircase Bill said This was the stand out image of the set for me: dynamic, eye catching composition, a very clear photographic idea, beautifully executed. The integrity of the original subject has been maintained (not that that is important at all but in this particular case I thought it really worked), but blurred round the edges. Couldn’t quite tell if this was pure ICM or more Multiple Exposures, or possibly a bit of both, but that’s by the by whatever you’ve done really works! The only technical point I’d raise is whether the highlights of the central light source are slightly blown, but again, the image works so well that that really is secondary to the idea (and you could argue anyway that it serves it really well in any case). Great work!

Runner up Camilla Rutayisire Gore

Human in the City Bill said There’s a lot to like about this image. In particular, great composition, and separation between the elements. I like the idea: lone human in the city, which speaks to all of us I suspect. And you made sure that the edges of the human are discreet from the building that surrounds it. Lovely colours too, and a sense of the darkness of the city below vs the golden light above. I particularly like the way the body is framed within the central golden section of the building also the recurring green streaks throughout the photograph of the walkway bollards are a nice touch. Very nice work!

3rd place

Carol Hudson

Stained Glass Window Bill said Strong, simple idea, really well executed. Unusual, eyecatching subject matter. For me, there’s an idea here of the saints in the window almost flying out of it into the church, the glory of God, as it were, spreading out to the congregation, which I really really liked. Lovely movement, and suggestion. Super work!

Birgitta Larsson

5th Place

Janne Østby

Malcolm Brown

Place Ania Rolinska

Barbara Kato McKenzie

Sue Woodbridge

Mary Seddon

The other entries

Gunilla Steen

Joy Tracey

Michelle Jackson

Mirriam Manners

Angie Robertson

Federica Morgan

Caren Kaufman Mlot

Jaana Kotoneva

Christine Griffiths

Lyn Rostron

Christina Webb

Debbie Christie

Valerie Huggins

Charlie’s top 5

Now if you were looking for your image in there and it was missing, there is a reason You are in this section.

I really appreciated Bill judging the ‘architecture challenge for me. In addition to his placings I also wanted to award my own top 5.

Congratulations to Malcolm Brown, Birgitta and Sue Woodbridge for making top 10 and top 5. Congratulations to Marion Woodman and Kim Stevens, for their top 5 placing here.

My top 5 are not in any specific order so all these images have been awarded a bonus 5 points. For me, images that speak to me and grab my interest are those that will make my top 5 but you will see from my comments on each all for very different reasons.

I have chosen this image in my top 5 pick because I love its strength and the beautiful way that the light and shadow together with the ICM movement has carved these strong shapes. The colours are rich and I think it shows the modern architecture of this building. If I had one point to improve, that would be to make sure you do not loose the detail in areas that are brighter there is an area top left that is lacking in detail because of over exposure

I have chosen this image in my top 5 because I just love the way the ICM adds to the feel of the towering sky scrapers. The colours are super, I love how its quite muted, but you get pops of rust and green throughout. The crop is good and I like the little area of sky as it gives the buildings space to breath and push into the sky. I think the ICM really brings an extra dimension to this image.

Marion Woodman

Kim Stevens

Sue’s image is a wonderful depiction of an urban area. The colours are what make this image for me the blues, greens and turquoise are beautifully contrasted with the orange and yellow. The ICM adds a feeling of creativity and simplifies the scene into blocks of colour and texture which I enjoy. The moving elements at the bottom of the image show the use of the space by people and cars. A super ICM architecture image.

I have to admit to having seen this image before. Birgitta made it whilst following one of my courses. I loved it then and still do. The colours are just beautiful, the dark inky purple blue is offset beautifully by the oranges and yellows. The ICM movement brings a mystery to what you are actually looking at. It actually reminds me of looking at a cruise ship at night with darkness all around except the light from the windows. I like the way the whole frame is filled in this image as well.

Malcolm Brown

This image of such an iconic location is super and in my top 5 because of the unique way it depicts this building. Anyone who has watched ‘Yes Priminister’ will know what I mean when I say I see the credits of that programme in this image. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxWwH6dreSc I love it when ICM images make the viewer question how it was made, and this suggests a pencil or graphite sketch. I love the way the detail has been held, but a very artistic edge has been added. The Black and white PP is super.

Sue Woodbridge

Birgitta Larsson